'EastEnders' Billy Mitchell struggles to cope after his estranged wife Honey - who he has two children with - battles for her life following a car crash which killed her father

Billy Mitchell struggles to cope when his estranged wife Honey almost dies in a car crash.

The hapless market stall trader - who is played by Perry Fenwick - doesn't know what to do when he is forced to look after his two young children Janet and William while his spouse fights for her life in hospital.

Perry revealed: "Honey's in a bad way. Her dad is dead and Billy fears she might die too. He's never stopped loving Honey and she's the mother of his children. He'd be devastated if they lost her.

"He can't cope. He's struggling to look after himself. He's got no money and he's forced to steal again. He nicks £30 from Ian's stall and gets sacked for it. It's desperation. He does it when there's no other choice. or so it seems to him. He doesn't enjoy it. The guilt weighs heavily on him."

The character's bad parenting fears are worsened further when his young son gets his hands on a stash of illegal drugs - which Billy was planning to sell to raise money for his children.

He added to Soaplife magazine: "Phil tells Billy to act like a proper dad but he just doesn't feel up to the job. And as if to prove it he goes home to find William with a bag of cannabis Billy's planning to sell. He's horrified and thinks the kids are better off without him."